Shamima Begum: IS bride should not be allowed to return to the UK to fight citizenship decision, court rules

IS bride Shamima Begum should not be allowed to return to the UK to fight a decision to strip her of British citizenship, the Supreme Court has ruled.

The unanimous decision – with all five justices in agreement – comes six years after the then 15-year-old left with friends to join the Islamic State group.

Home Secretary Priti Patel welcomed the news, saying it “reaffirmed the home secretary’s authority to make vital national security decisions”.

Now aged 21, Begum was one of three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green in east London who travelled to Syria.

Her British citizenship was revoked on national security grounds shortly after she was found, nine months pregnant, in a Syrian refugee camp in February 2019.

She had already lost two children and the third died shortly after being born.

Begum challenged the Home Office’s decision to remove her citizenship and wanted to be allowed to return to the UK to pursue that appeal.

Initially, the Court of Appeal said she should be allowed to return to fight the case.

However, in November, the Home Office appealed that decision at the Supreme Court, arguing that allowing her to return to the UK “would create significant national security risks” and expose the public to “an increased risk of terrorism”.

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Lord Reed said: “The Supreme Court unanimously allows all of the home secretary’s appeals and dismisses Ms Begum’s cross-appeal.

“The right to a fair hearing does not trump all other considerations, such as the safety of the public.”

Also in their ruling, the five law lords criticised the Court of Appeal for making its “own assessment of the requirements of national security” and ignoring the home secretary “despite the absence of any relevant evidence before it, or any relevant findings of fact by the court below”.

A different ruling could have had huge significance for the government, which has revoked the citizenship of about 150 British nationals on grounds of national security.

Ms Patel’s predecessor Sajid Javid, who took the decision to revoke Ms Begum’s citizenship, said he “strongly welcomed” the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“There are no simple solutions to this situation, but any restrictions of rights and freedoms faced by this individual are a direct consequence of the extreme actions that she and others have taken, in violation of government guidance and common morality.”

Begum is currently in a camp controlled by armed guards in northern Syria.

She cannot speak to her lawyers or participate in a hearing by video.

Begum spoke to Sky News days after her third baby was born in February 2019, telling correspondent John Sparks “a lot of people should have sympathy” for her as there was no evidence she had done anything dangerous.

But later that year Ms Patel vowed Begum would never be allowed to return to the UK.

Following today’s ruling she said: “The government will always take the strongest possible action to protect our national security and our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of our citizens.”

(c) Sky News 2021: Shamima Begum: IS bride should not be allowed to return to the UK to fight citizenship decision, court rules